The Harshest Reality
by Running to Stand Still
Summary: [Oneshot][Rated T because Maximum Ride is a TEENAGE level book. There, my reason. And I say HELL and little kiddies might not love that.] Maximum Ride just might not be who she thinks she is.
1. Chapter 1

**(A/N: This is a quick blurb (an ONESHOT) I thought of at 6:30 in the morning. Of course, I could make it a whole story. So, review please. Also, I'm too lazy to check what Max's ID numbers were when she was at the lab. I made some up. Don't freak out if they're wrong.)**

**Disclaimer: … Maximum Ride is mine. My name is James Paterson. I am a genius; all of you bow before me. Okay, I'm just kidding. All of that stuff is false.**

"93-84-57-04 sweetie, wake up," a voice said. Someone put their hand on my shoulder and tried to shake me awake. I reached out and tried to bat the hand away, but the back of my hand collided with ice cold metal. I sat up instantly and hit my head on metal.

_Oh God_, I thought. My stomach began to churn. I was in the labs. And Jeb was the one trying to wake me up. But it didn't look like Jeb, he looked younger.

"Hello 93-84-57-04, you were having a bad dream. Are you okay?" he asked.

"Get the hell away from me. And don't you dare call me sweetie! I'm _not_ your _sweetie_, and I _never_ will be," I snarled. My hand flew to my mouth. That didn't sound like me. My voice was littler, weaker.

"93-84-57-04, hell is a bad word, remember? Where did you learn to talk like that?" Jeb asked in shock. My stomach was in knots, I was on high alert now. "And why would you be so mean to me? I'm your friend."

"What did you do to me?!" I asked in a squeaky voice.

"I woke you up from a bad dream," Jeb told me.

"No, no, no, NO! I wasn't dreaming. How did you get me back here? Where is my Flock? What did you do to them?!" I asked angrily. I tried to growl but it just didn't have the desired effect. It was too squeaky. What had they done to me?

"93-84-57-04 calm down. What are you talking about? We never took you anywhere; you've been in your cage the whole time. And who is the Flock?" Jeb asked. I tried to stretch in my cage, but found it too small.

"The Flock- Fang and Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel- where are they?! What did you do to them?" I asked angrily.

"Who are you talking about 93-84-57-04?" Jeb asked in that confused tone he has.

"Um, they're… Oh, what do you guys call them? Where is the Flock- 75-47-39-07, 09-34-62-57, 83-92-75-39, 85-23-83-76, 74-28-49-92?

"Uh, they are in their sectors. How did you know about them? Who slipped and told you?" Jeb asked seriously.

"You mean… Oh God… Oh no, this can't be happening. This can't be true… Jeb, bring me to a mirror, now," I demanded. I realized what had happened. That had all been a dream, a brutal nightmare. I hadn't escaped with Jeb. I never met Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, or Angel. I was never told I needed to save the world. It was all my imagination… I needed to see myself. That would explain it all.

Jeb reached down and unlocked my crate. He pulled me to a stainless steel wall. I stared at my reflection with a broken heart.

Staring back at me was my ten-year-old self. My hair was in a knotted mess and I was covered with scars. My tiny wings were tied to my back so I couldn't try to fly away.

_This_ had to be the nightmare. I couldn't have thought that all up on my own. This wasn't happening. My head was spinning.

"Jeb, did I ever get out of here? Did I kill Ari? Am I supposed to _save the world_?" I asked. He gave me a bewildered look.

"93-84-57-04 sweetie, where would you get such an idea? I must say, you have a vivid imagination. Now go into your cage and forget about those other people, okay? You never heard of them before," Jeb said. At first he was smiling, but as he talked, he grew absolutely serious.

I did as I was told. I sat in the corner of my cage and began to cry. It had all been a dream. It was a nightmare. I never was Maximum Ride. I am 938457-04. I will never save the world. I will die 938457-04 in a cage, and no one will ever know about me…

Dreams are the harshest realities…

**(A/N 2: So did you like? Comment and stuff are welcome, just like they always are.**

**And to clear it up, here is who they all are:**

**93-84-57-04: Maximum Ride**

**75-47-39-07: Fang**

**09-34-62-57: Iggy**

**83-92-75-39: Nudge**

**85-23-83-76: Gazzy**

**74-28-49-92: Angel**

**That's it, my wonderful story about Maximum Ride never being Maximum Ride.)**


	2. Author's Note

**(Spoiler Alert)**

Okay, if you haven't read Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports, DO NOT READ any further than this.

(Now people cannot get mad at me! Evil laugh)

Okay, I hope anyone reading this has read "The Harshest Reality," because if not, WHY ARE YOU READING THIS?!

I'll wait for you to read that … okay, too long. I'll just ruin it for you.

Can I just say that in a way, I kinda called it? I mean, how long before Maximum Ride 3 came out did I call this one? It was kind of … a psychic moment for me … in a way.

Now, James didn't use my idea exactly (Yeah, the big guy and I are on a first name basis. Although, he calls me V Baby…), we thought along the same lines.

I just want to share that with you all … uhm, that is all.



- Running.

(And oh yeah, still no updates because my laptop is kind of in a dumpster somewhere and I am in mourning for all those lost documents. Okay, there were no lost documents, they retrieved them all, but still no updates. I will shut up now…)


End file.
